Manufacturers of hydraulic excavator machines are notorious for constructing the connection end of the machine, called the stick or boom, such that only buckets specifically designed for that model of machine can be attached. As a result, distributors and users of the machines are forced to carry a large inventory of buckets in order to have buckets of varying sizes (widths and capacities) for each machine owned or leased. Such inventory is expensive and space consuming. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a mechanism that would allow different sizes and styles of buckets to be coupled to any one of a variety of hydraulic excavators.